The six elected committee members join previously-elected 2017 committee members Jeremy Caldera, CTS-D, CTS-I, IAS Technology; Matthew Wood, CTS-I, George Washington University; and Josh Srago, CTS, TEECOM, to make up the complete 2018 Certification Steering Committee. The committee members will vote in December to select a chair. Jeremy Caldera serves as the 2017 Certification Steering Committee Chair.

The independent AVIXA Certification Steering Committee is responsible for overseeing the development and administration of credible Certified Technology Specialist, Certified Technology Specialist-Design, and Certified Technology Specialist-Installation certifications (CTS, CTS-D and CTS-I) and for ensuring the credentials meet high standards of ethical and professional practice for the audiovisual industry.

“AVIXA couldn’t deliver on its promise of advancing the audiovisual industry without the efforts of volunteers,” said Adrienne Knick, AVIXA’s Director of Certification. “The CTS program continues to grow and evolve to represent the most up-to-date skills and expertise required of technology professionals to deliver AV experiences that meet or exceed customers’ requirements.”

Nearly 11,500 professionals worldwide hold a CTS certification, including 312 who hold both CTS-D and CTS-I advanced designations. All three certifications are currently undergoing revalidation to reflect the most current skills and knowledge, as required by international standards bodies. The certifications are accredited by the America National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) ISO/IEC 17024:2012 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification Schemes of Persons program.

“I truly believe that education and certification are key to ensuring our industry is strong, and that we provide a path for professional development,” said K2 Audio’s Ordonez, 2013 recipient of AVIXA’s Harald Thiel Volunteer of the Year Award. “Our industry evolves rapidly, and continued synergy among the diverse disciplines that integrate it requires constant re-evaluation and updates to the certification process to keep it current.”

AVIXA thanks outgoing committee members Heather Callaway, CTS-D, SiteReady Design; Tim Cichos, CTS, University of Notre Dame; and Alec Graham, CTS-D, CTS-I, ServicePoint Australia, for their service and commitment to maintaining the high standards of the CTS program.

About AVIXAAVIXA™ is the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, producer of InfoComm trade shows around the world, co-owner of Integrated Systems Europe, and the international trade association representing the audiovisual industry. Established in 1939, AVIXA has more than 5,400 members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, consultants, programmers, live events companies, technology managers, content producers, and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. AVIXA members create integrated AV experiences that deliver outcomes for end users. AVIXA is a hub for professional collaboration, information, and community, and the leading resource for AV standards, certification, training, market intelligence and thought leadership. Additional information is available at avixa.org.